The Absence Of Freedom: A Fahrenheit 451 Literary Analysis (Essay Sample)

Every generation is known for having a significant challenge that they must overcome. In past years, discrimination, racism, and extreme hatred have all been major conflicts that various generations have had to face. However, in today’s society, our generation faces extreme isolation due to the excess use of technology. We choose to stay in our rooms, and not intermingle with people of other backgrounds, due to the difficulties it may conduce. The characters in Ray Bradbury’s futuristic story, Fahrenheit 451, also face extreme isolationism due to a consistent fixation on the fake people in their parlor walls. This isolationism develops further within the main character Montag, who has worked as a fireman his whole life burning books but struggles internally, questioning whether his relationships are truly satisfactory. Bradbury presents a symbolic tool, repeatedly utilizes logical fallacies, and opposing points of view in order to highlight the detrimental effects of the censorship of knowledge in the society of Fahrenheit 451, ultimately revealing how censorship is used as a means to hide knowledge and control humanity.

As Bradbury begins the book, he utilizes the symbol of fire in multiple different meanings, specifically destruction, cleansing, and self-awareness. Guy Montag, the main character of the book exemplifies these meanings, burning books to destroy information, while also savoring every moment. Montag, as a fireman, proudly wears his “symbolic helmet numbered 451”  which he uses to “[burn] an old woman with her books” (Bradbury 1, 47). The “helmet numbered 451” symbolizes the burning point of paper, 451°.  By juxtaposing the numbers on his helmet, 451, Bradbury is able to coin fire as a double meaning. Montag wears these numbers around as a way to display the extensive use of destruction utilized by the firemen. The fires represent destruction and power in the hands of the fireman due to the death and sorrow that come along with them, such as the “old lady with her books”. Through the burning of books, Bradbury describes fire as a destructive power, yet Montag also sees it as a cleansing force. These firefighters cleanse information in order to discourage an unfair environment. Beatty states how they must burn books in order to not “have [the] minorities upset and stirred” (Bradbury 56). As well as a cleansing and destructive force, fire, when controlled, symbolizes the flickering of self-awareness and knowledge. Bradbury presents how Clarisse reminded him of the “gently flattering light of the candle” which caused a “brief hour of rediscovery, of such illumination that space lost its vast dimensions'' (Bradbury 5). As seen in the quotes, not only does fire represent the harsh nature of destruction, but it also represents the flickering light of new discovery, specifically the idea of thinking for oneself. Uncontrolled fire destroys individuals’ freedom of thought, while controlled fire releases individuals from that destruction to deliver knowledge and demonstrate self-awareness.

As well as the double meaning of fire, Bradbury also utilizes logical fallacies in Beatty’s speech to Montag. In his speech, Beatty is attempting to convince Montag that books are not worth his time, specifically the pursuit of knowledge. During the speech, Beatty compares “a book [to] a loaded gun” and how one should “burn it [and] take the shot from the next weapon” (Bradbury 56). This analogy is created between a book, an item of immense knowledge, and a gun, an item of war, causing vast death and suffering. This weak analogy between two vastly different items proves how books are an enormous threat to their society. It further elucidates the aggressive anti-book sentiment, and how they have become a societal hazard. As well as the weak analogy between a loaded gun and a book, Beatty also asks Montag if “it is the bright boy” that he chose for “beatings and tortures after hours?” after stating how the word “intellectual” has become “a swear word” within their society (Bradbury 55). Beatty appeals to emotions here,  by asking a loaded question. This type of question is an attempt by Beatty to limit the possible answers to only “yes” or “no”, and choosing either response would end up hurting Montag's credibility or reputation. The question is complex, as it compacts two separate questions into one. By answering yes, he is admitting to that harsh practice, but by answering no, Montag is still stating that he is done that in the past, just no to the “bright boy”. Beatty then states how “not everyone is born free and equal” but “everyone is made equal” in order to justify the censorship of books (Bradbury 55). This statement is a false cause, as the constitution stating “everyone is made equal” does not justify the stripping away of essential human rights. It strictly means that we are all given the same rights as the people of Earth - freedom, and equality. 

Lastly, Bradbury juxtaposes sets of characters throughout the novel in order to prove how censorship is used as a motive to control society. Bradbury begins by comparing Montag to Beatty. Although Beatty originally stated how society should  “Burn all, [and] burn everything” and that “Fire is bright and fire is clean”, he had previously stolen books from houses in order to save them from those same fires, proving that he too experienced curiosity for enlightenment (Bradbury 57). Although both Beatty and Montag appear very different at first glance, in some ways they are very alike. Both men tried to defy the law by stealing books from the houses they were supposed to burn. The difference is that Beatty surrendered to the pressures of society and gave up his selfish ways, while Montag continued his search for the truth. While Beatty gave up to the pressures of society and now tries harder than ever to improve the censorship of their society, Montag goes to people like Faber in order to advocate for the restoration of knowledge in his city. The juxtaposition of these two characters presents a symbol of hope and restoration within their society. As well as Montag and Beatty,  Bradbury also juxtaposes Clarisse with Mildred. He describes Clarisse as a “fragile milk crystal with a soft and constant light in it” while characterizing Mildred as a “shell of a human being devoid of any sincere emotional, intellectual, or spiritual substance” (Bradbury 5). Montag told us from his first interaction with Clarisse that she was far different than other people in their society. She has ideas concerning the world for what it truly is in contrast to Mildred who does not actually care. This juxtaposition of these two characters presents to the audience what censorship does to the people of their society. Mildred is a product of her environment. She’s been conditioned to sit and absorb instead of talk, question, and think. Mildred represents the inherently selfish nature of society in Fahrenheit 451. Clarisse, on the other hand, whom Beatty dubs a "time bomb" because of her relentless curiosity, serves as the impetus for Montag's painful but necessary self-examination. With gentle pricks to his self-awareness, Clarisse reveals to him the absence of love, pleasure, and contentment in his life. Clarisse remains a free-spirited young woman throughout the novel, and is a direct foil to her counterpart Mildred, displaying the side effects of censorship on society.

Although the censorship of information is primarily used as a means to keep us safe, the dissemination of ideas is ultimately best for a society that seeks to thrive. Through a symbolic tool, the repetition of logical fallacies, and the utilization of opposing points of view, Ray Bradbury is able to highlight the radical presence of isolationism in the society of Fahrenheit 451, ultimately revealing how censorship is used as a tool to keep people from knowing the whole truth.